Life, it's complicated
by White Knuckled
Summary: Miranda and Andrea's path cross most unexpectedly four years after saying goodbye. Will start as general audience but will gain mature content as the story progresses.
1. Chapter 1

**Life, it's complicated.**

**White Knuckled**

**A/N: Hi, first time publishing. Really just trying something new. Kind of nervous so without further adieu enjoy.**

It had been four years. Four wonderful, fulfilling, adventurous years, but still something felt missing. She had travelled, immersed herself in the cultures of the world, and lived within the different socioeconomic backdrops of society. Studied the different people she had surrounded herself with, racially, fiscally and socially. Andy loved it, every minute of it. Still within her correspondence to her family and friends at home, something felt missing. Like a part of Andy was stuck and she wouldn't be whole until she found it.

It had been four years. Four wonderful, fulfilling, groundbreaking years, but still something felt missing. She had travelled, immersed herself in the cultures of the world, sifting through the different socioeconomic backdrops of society to deliver some of the best new designers of our generation. Studied their design their attention to detail, the fabric, stitching, cut and structure of each piece. Breaking them down until she found the ones suitable to grace the pages of her beloved magazine. Still within her office at Elias Clarke surrounded by all this beauty a piece of Miranda was stuck, and she wouldn't be whole until she found it.

Everything was running entirely to plan. Andy was enjoying herself. Exploring the world asserting her freedom and her inquisitive nature on the unsuspecting populace. Taught by her parents to always satisfy her voracious need for knowledge and understanding by asking questions delving in headfirst until she acquired the answers she seeked. She spoke to her friends regularly and her family more so enjoying conversing in her downtime and occasionally indulging in raucous nights drinking away the evening. Everything was running entirely to plan.

Everything was running entirely to plan. Her girls were growing into smart ambitious teenagers, always inquisitive, taught to question by their mother the things of this world so they could one day make sense of all they wished to know. Although single since her divorce from Stephen the townhouse never seemed empty, friends of the twins coming and going, Nigel and occasionally Donatella stopping by for drinks and conversation. Everything was running entirely to plan.

Growing up as Andy had afforded her with the money and skills to enjoy a luxurious life. Her father's great, great, great grandfather was the founding Sachs in Goldman and Sachs and Andy had been provided early on the means to do as she pleased. Her parents raised her humble. Growing up in the Midwest her father married for love and raised Andrea with an understanding much beyond her years that the lifestyle that comes with wealth, influence and power can be corrupting. Andy never wanted for naught but the rewards hard work garnered were instilled in her from a very young age. She attended public school in Cincinnati throughout her primary and secondary education and gained admittance to Northwestern University off her own merit. Her sir name while famous was often overlooked and Andrea appreciated the anonymity she was gifted with moving away from home and into the world as her own person.

Andy battled through University with all the average Joes making friends, partying and studying hard to fulfil her dream of becoming a journalist. She graduated with honours and three of the best friends she could ask for. Lily, Doug and Nate accepted Andy for who she was. Didn't question her ability to shout a whole nights out drinking and accepted her whole heartedly when she announced quite drunkenly her preference for the fairer sex while dancing on a table singing I kissed a girl by Katy Perry. The friendship was never without its hiccups, weeks without communication when they found out why she could afford to shout though not out of spite, more so the feeling that the understanding they had that they could tell each other anything, without judgement had been breached and they reacted on instinct. A couple of drunken text messages and a tearful run in later and all was restored to normalcy.

It was as their graduation was approaching that the four friends made a pact that they were going to take New York by storm. Lily using her creative arts/ business degree to manage a gallery, Nate as a chef in one of the more popular vegan eateries and Doug as a junior associate surprisingly Goldman and Sachs. Andrea although undecided on the course her career was to take was supported entirely in her decisions not to rely on her family name and slog it out in the competitive world of journalism. It was this fateful pact on this fateful day that lead one Andrea Elizabeth Sachs directly into the path of Miranda Priestly and the situation that she found herself in now, battered and bruised with what she suspects is a broken nose scraped knuckles and a very angry looking Ellen and understanding Richard Sachs and a visibly distressed Miranda Priestly.

Growing up as Miriam Princhek was hard. Not only did her family have little money but her father has passed when she was young forcing a thirteen year old Miriam to work as a seamstress at the local tailor to help her mother get by. It was while assisting at the tailor that a young Miriam gained her refined eye for design and the many intricacies that came with it. The head seamstress Mrs Walters noticing her dedication and thirst for design took Miriam under her tutelage nursing her skills and educating her on the finer points of understanding the intention in which and outfit is made to be an art piece the body a canvas.

Miriam spent many an afternoon honing her skills and at the age of 17 she was accepted as an assistant to the creative director at Runway London. Years she dedicated to learning and silently taking in all the workings within the magazine while still performing the tasks required of her as she moved up within the ranks of first Runway London and later Runway America. At the ripe old age of 32 Miriam Princhek appeared transformed, rejuvenated, restyled as Miranda Priestly, the youngest ever Editor in Chief of American Runway.

At 46 Miranda had done it all. Married and divorced thrice, had two beautiful girls, travelled the world and successfully cultivated a magazine to becoming the number 1 selling fashion journal in the world. Realising that although she may be able to do and achieve anything she set her mind to the same could disappointingly not be said of her staff, which is why she is currently listening as her first assistant Emily Charlton turns away one more candidate for the position of second assistant. After allowing the girl two tries, one too many in Miranda's book she has finally come to the conclusion that if you want something done right you have to do it yourself. It was this decisive philosophy on this fateful day that lead one Andrea Elizabeth Sachs careening into her path and the situation Miranda finds herself in now. A battered and bruised Andrea lying in a hospital bed, an angry Ellen and understanding Richard Sachs and a fraught nervous system.

A/N: Thanks for taking the time to read. If you would like me to continue let me know. Cheers


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Hello, just wanted to throw a quick thanks out there to everyone that read, reviewed or favourited me or my story. It means a lot to me and I hope you enjoy the update.**

Chapter 2

If asked Andy could tell you that in the four years since she had seen Miranda that she had, visited eleven different countries, spoke two new languages half fluently and had lost herself for six weeks and three days without contact to the civilised world on exactly one occasion. She could also explain the understanding and enlightenment you gain from the experience of getting a traditional yantra tattoo or the rush experienced while jumping head first off the Last Resort toward the Bhote Kosi River in Nepal. The only thing Andy could not for the life of her tell you would be why doing, learning and seeing all these beautiful things made her heart ache in her chest with such profound force that she feared it would break free.

Being back in London for the fourth time in as many years was not a highlight in Andy's short but fulfilling life. Nate had recently decided that after three years at a restaurant in the big apple travelling the relatively safe plains of the English countryside was in his future. After being confronted by his inexperience on stepping foot off the plane at Heathrow, succumbing to what he later recalls as a brief moment of panic he decides on the safest option, a tour guide. Which is why at 3 am on a brisk Wednesday morning Andy found herself unexpectedly returning to England.

She can't say it was all bad. She had missed her friends and family immensely, and if Nate was going to insist on a travel buddy she wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. They had traversed from London to Birmingham, to Liverpool and Sheffield and back again, exploring markets and eateries both common and quaint in between. After four weeks navigating the cities and counties of England it was time to part ways and for Andy to continue on with her explorations of the world. They chose a nice restaurant on Nate's pleas and a lovely bottle of wine to celebrate the completion of their trip together and mark Andrea's twenty seventh birthday.

Meeting Nate at the restaurant and being shown to their seats by the maître d had Andy's mind wandering back to a time when this was a regular occurrence. Working lunches, and dinners with designers were commonplace when you worked for one of the most influential women in publishing. Shaking herself out of her thoughts she turned to accept her menu from their waiter and toast her last night with Nate with good food and even better wine.

Dinner proceeded as usual between the two friends. Talk of work, love, loss and regaling stories from their time at University littered the conversation. Wine was consumed, laughter had and all was as it should be. Andy was in the middle of explaining to Nate the importance of understanding a countries culture at least a little before jumping into travels, and Nate was explaining to Andy the importance of understanding their cuisine when loud hushed whispers interrupted their mock argument from the table behind them. Not worried beyond the interruption to their conversation the pair continued on enjoying the companionable night.

As the evening was coming to a close and Nate and Andy were full on the atmosphere provided from an enjoyable evening, they said there thanks to the staff and proceeded onto the quiet streets on London. On exiting the restaurant, mind muddled from the wine and reflexes languid and sluggish Andrea is pulled roughly to the left and down the side ally, shushed by an agitated looking Nate. Not understanding what is happening and why in gods name is Nate acting like a spy out of a James Bond movie, Andy opens her mouth to supply an indignant retort when he covers her mouth and again shushes her while pointing to a dark town car parked on the street.

"Jesus Nate. What the hell is wrong with you? I thought you were going to mug me." Andy half whispers pushing herself closer to the brick wall of the ally.

"Shush Andy. The men from the restaurant are over there and I'm trying to hear what they're saying," murmurs Nate while sliding closer to the street making sure to keep himself out of sight.

"Jeez. You are as bad as a spy, in a bad spy movie." Andy replies.

"Why would you even want to know what their 'PRIVATE' conversation is about anyway?" She's confused, disorientated and not a little put out by Nate's odd behaviour. Tapping her foot impatiently against the concrete walkway, she makes a show of her displeasure glaring until he feels it on his back like a target.

"Look Andy, I know this seems strange and you don't understand, but I'll explain once we're back at the motel." Nate quickly replies, hoping to gain at least a few minutes of restrained silence.

Andy crosses her arms over her chest and replies with a miffed "you better".

After making sure the gentlemen had cleared from their line of sight Andy and Nate continued the walk back to their motel in relative silence. Being put out by getting dragged in to an ally unsuspecting and told to shush multiple times Andy couldn't of cared less what these 'men' had been discussing, but Nate had been pensive the entire walk back and something had to give. She was going to get answers out of him and he was just going to have to play along. On arriving at their room Andy went directly to the bathroom and changed into some more comfortable clothes in preparation for her interrogation. Walking back into the joined living area she found Nate sitting on the couch, hands covering his face.

"What gives Nate? Explain to me what all that was about?" She's all self-righteous attitude, his behaviour making her anxious and in turn short and blunt.

"Look Andy I'll tell you everything but you need to sit be quiet and hear me out. You're not going to like what I have to tell you so you have to promise to remain calm. Can you do that?" Nate finally releases the grip he was holding his face hostage with and implores her with a pleading look to understand.

"Yeah, yes I can do that." Her reply is quiet now, unsure. No longer bolstered by her earlier aggravation she sits beside him and waits patiently for him to explain.

Andy would later look back on that night three and a half years after walking away from Miranda in Paris as the most pivotal moment in her life. It was an average mundane Tuesday in the middle of an upscale London restaurant where he life would be unequivocally changed.

**A/N Cheers...hoping to get a few more chapters out over the weekend, so stay tuned.**

**Love Ya**


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